The Official TracyFest 2004 Thread

It's high time we get planning! I am going to use this thread to post general information about hotels, restaurants, etc. However, some folks have expressed some concern about posting specific information about hotel locations, etc. given the fact that we cannot be entirely sure who all is reading this board... so in order to assuage any discomfort, I am going to start a Yahoo group in a while, open to any CTer interested in coming to the Fest. That way we can eventually share the private info without having to worry about anything.

But in the meantime, let's drum up some ideas here! I am in no way as knowledgable about DC cuisine as Mean et al are about Seattle cuisine... but I do know some things, and am willing to visit any restaurant in which people express interest to determine if it's a good place to go.

Past Fests seem to have somewhat of a theme... Thursday and Friday night dinners at less formal but still fabulous ethnic restaurants, then Saturday's tasting menu w/wine pairing at someplace absolutely stellar.

I would like to offer the suggestion for one of the ethnic meals to be Vietnamese ... the DC metro area is home to a sizable Vietnamese community and I have had ample opportunity to enjoy a number of memorable meals... one in particular gets consistently excellent reviews (though I have not yet been) and I think would appeal to this lot... here's a link to the review by the Washington Post food critic, Tom Sietsema (upon whose judgment I rely a great deal): Huong Que/Four Sisters Restaurant. I plan to go soon and will endeavor to steal a menu for scanning/posting purposes.

Another option that would be fun for a non-tasting-menu night would be Jaleo, or Zaytinya ... respectively, Spanish and Mediterranean tapas. Also Palena. Or, if we'd like to repeat the sushi excursion, Kaz Sushi Bistro. And for a better look at the place I talked about in the other thread with the fried mozzarella in garlic/anchovy butter, here's a review... but keep in mind it's pretty much just your basic neighborhood Italian joint (which happens to specialize in Bolivian saltenas on the weekends), though very well-executed. Brunch at Colorado Kitchen would be a good idea, too.

We may do that one and we will have a vehicle as we will be driving down. Unless its really warm and we bring the Miata! WhichI doubt because I hate driving it on the highways with those huge trucks right on top of it. Definitely no margin for error-very scary indeed.

I wasn't clear.... there are tour busses from the Mall Main Smithsonian out to the new museum. It is near Dulles, just past, or whatever. The trick is to get signed up for the ride out. I believe you can stay as long as you like as long as you plan to get the last shuttle back. What I am unsure of is cost for that ride. Of course, in October, it May be easier than when I was there- April break from school.

I think we may have more people with cars than we usually do at these Fests... more people coming in from close-by areas. So it may be entirely possible for those interested in visiting the Dulles Air & Space museum to carpool together.

"Given enough time, the proper resources, and access to some really toxic stuff, one can probably dissolve just about anything except Peep eyes."

Nobody would ever claim the Metro isn't clean...it is. I just always seemed to catch something every time I rode it; the idea of being in a sealed container with several dozen other people, all of whom are breathing the same air and coughing in unison, just reminded me of a Petri dish...of course, one could say the same thing for most airplanes, right?

Did you know that the filters in the modern aircraft air conditioning systems trap to the virus level? This is not a Greyhound bus or public transport environment. And they have to be changed every so many hours of flight time. Standard maintenance procedures.

Bless you for sharing that...but still, wouldn't being on a plane sitting next to someone who had SAARS breathing that same "filtered" air still be somewhat hazardous to your health? After all, when we exhale, it isn't immediately filtered; it floats around us until it finally reaches wherever the "recycling" point is. I realize we are constantly exposed to the germs and other beasties that the people around us are infected with, but it just seems that in an enclosed environment, that exposure would be magnified. After all, remember when people were allowed to smoke on airplanes? The smoke from the smoking section sure circulated throughout the plane, even if it might have been filtered before being reintroduced into the system. I don't know what can be done to prevent this "cross contamination" other than for everyone to wear a mask, which isn't going to happen!

See, I am definitely weird. I love the subway in NYC and I abhor the Metro. Not for cleanliness, but the Metro just seems so clunky and awkward, and it doesn't go to the places I want to go... whereas the Subway goes everywhere. And you can take your coffee on it. :-)

"Given enough time, the proper resources, and access to some really toxic stuff, one can probably dissolve just about anything except Peep eyes."

I agree. I want to be within walking distance of the Mall. Gawd, there is SO much to see in DC. Gonna pass on the cooking class though. Unless it's in Tracy's kitchen and given by Glenys or someone like her. Tracy...your kitchen will hold 25 people won't it? I will be waiting for you to post a detailed map to your home. For all to see ;-)

Actually, there probably have been 25 people in my kitchen at some point... I have a huge and legendary 4th of July party every year and pulled pork is the spotlight menu item... so when the dinner bell sounds, the kitchen tends to fill up pretty fast!

However, it'd be a stretch for anything other than a drunken pigfest... on second thought... ;-)

Actually, I am entertaining the notion of inviting y'all over for pre-dinner drinks on one of the lesser-attended nights, provided there won't be a hundred people. The Vietnamese restaurant I have in mind is quite close to my apartment. :-) We shall see... there may be a slight change in my living arrangements come fall.

"Given enough time, the proper resources, and access to some really toxic stuff, one can probably dissolve just about anything except Peep eyes."

Tracy, I'm with MM on the sushi stuff - in fact, Japanese food really doesn't do anything for me, but recognizing that I/we am/are in a minority, I'm sure we can traipse off to explore something else on our own.

"... how many roads must an individual walk down before you can call them an adult." Blowin' in the Wind, the politically correct version.

I've been wanting to try Equinox ever since you first mentioned it...have you checked on the possibility of a tasting menu there, price, etc.?

I know Equinox does tasting menus on a regular basis... here are the samples from their web site (a four course and a six course); the prices are equivalent to what we've paid in the past. I'm willing to bet that Todd Gray would work with us for a customized menu if we wanted it.

More information about cooking class... I'd recommend a Thai class with Somchet Chumpapo, she is a wonderful chef (the recipes I posted here for for Pad Thai and Larb Gai are hers) and quite engaging... but of course there are dozens of other sujects...